AM882 works with Protune - but not with the ZPA5-INT BOB

I forgot to respond to you Jazz, apologies (rude when you are trying to help!)

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Your not trying to run this with a Laptop are you.?

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Nope.

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Where did you get the PP cable.? . . It must be a straight thru cable not an old printer or serial cable.

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The cable came from one of those chinese TB6500 boards that was included in a 3D printer I bough ages ago. I wonder if that one is a bit special??

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Regards the motor tuning then that's nothing to do with Drive settings it's the control software sending out pulse's and if you motor tuning is set to high you could be getting stalling motors.?

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The AM882 detects stalls - well it has when I have wound them up to fast in pro tune - red light comes on and it stops ( I might have been trying to see how fast they'd go. . . ). Anyway they are all happy in pro tune and when I connected my parallel port directly to the driver so its not that.

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

This will most likely turn out to be something simple like dodgy wire or wrong settings. Would be very unlikely you'll have electrical noise issues. The drives clearly work fine has do motors so they are ok and wired correct.

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Yeah, I thought it might be noise, but it does the same in and out of the case and in different orientations too. so it isn't because it is in close proximity to power leads (I don't think)

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

It could be PC related like low voltage parallel port, unfortunately don't know anything about your BOB so unsure if it pulls signals high or not.?

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I think the signals are ok as I did a direct connect.

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Sorry can't be more help than this.!!

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You have been great - I appreciate the input.

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

EDIT: Oh if your using Mach3 then try the PP driver test to check your PP port.
If still having trouble and can't see any thing else wrong with wires, drives etc then sometimes a reinstall can help. It's not unknown for Mach's XML file to get corrupted and cause daft issues like this.!!

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Mach works on my other machine - which uses a ZPA board and GEKKO drives so I don't think its the install. I downloaded the ZPA5-INT xml file from the Zapp site and used that - as described above, the stepper nearly jumped off the table.

I do have one solution to this. . . . control box out the window. Done.

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Originally Posted by badgerman

Anyone got any suggestions for a cheap driver board that will do the job?

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That's were your going wrong.?? Bob's are one of the most trouble some components in the control box and buying cheap boards just increases your chances of trouble 10 fold.!! . . . If you think about it they handle all the signals and no matter how clean the signal when it reaches the board if the BOB has cheap nasty components then it will get degraded to some degree. Now send it usable signal but on the weaker side and cheap board can easily scramble it's brains out.!!

The only board I can recommend which you can buy in UK is this one. I've used many without problems, infact I'm installing one at this moment along with AM882 drives.
OPPB

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

The only board I can recommend which you can buy in UK is this one. I've used many without problems, infact I'm installing one at this moment along with AM882 drives.
OPPB

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Right, sounds like a plan. I was considering a better board as I have a VFD inverter and spindles I want to get running - I don't see any mention of spindle control on this board - is that the case?

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Originally Posted by badgerman

- I don't see any mention of spindle control on this board - is that the case?

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No it's a separate board if you want to control spindle speed.

You can use BOB's On board relays to control VFD start/stop signals. To be honest I don't often bother with spindle speed control and just control Start/stop.
I also use the relay built into VFD to control water pump so it's only running when spindle spinning.!

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

No it's a separate board if you want to control spindle speed.

You can use BOB's On board relays to control VFD start/stop signals. To be honest I don't often bother with spindle speed control and just control Start/stop.
I also use the relay built into VFD to control water pump so it's only running when spindle spinning.!

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Cool - I am not to sure I will need spindle control any time soon. I have 2 really nice spindles, one with a vortex tube on it pumping cool air down the centre of the cutter that I want to get running. The machine it came with had a KEB inverter that I need to start understanding :ambivalence:. Spindle control won't be relevant until I have that sorted!!!

FYI, just tried the board on my Gekko setup and it works fine.

I have spotted something that might make a difference though - so I will try it out and update accordingly. . . . .

bugger. it didn't work. Sod it, I'm going to buy another board.

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

The only board I can recommend which you can buy in UK is this one. I've used many without problems, infact I'm installing one at this moment along with AM882 drives.
OPPB

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Just bought one of these bad boys.

Fingers crossed.

Boom. Ordered a board from DiyCNC - out of stock. In comes Mr. Jazz to the rescue, sends me his spare (or next builds board). Realised it was out of stock thursday, Mr Jazz sends Friday, received on saturday and 90% wired on Sunday.

Board works a treat - I still don't know what was wrong with the ZP5A as it is working fine on my other machine (Gekko 203V) but this has dealt with the problem.

Thanks to all that waded in to help - particularly JAZZCNC you bloody legend.

Your Welcome, Cheap BOB's are just not worth the stress and hair loss. . Lol . . . Pleased your sorted and working.

PS: Money received thanks.!!